


Exhaustion

by IronStrangeLover (sherlockian4evr)



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Established Relationship, Established Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Exhaustion, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Stephen Loves Tony, Suspected Hypothermia, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony loves Stephen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22071370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockian4evr/pseuds/IronStrangeLover
Summary: Stephen pushed himself too far in battle. Tony deals with the aftermath.
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 15
Kudos: 123
Collections: IronStrange Fic by Egg





	Exhaustion

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by [Sherlock1110](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherlock1110/pseuds/Sherlock1110).
> 
> I'm taking fic requests. If you have something you would like me to write, drop me a note at sherlockian4evr@gmail.com.

Stephen, deep in the forest, dropped to his knees in the snow. The battle had depleted his energies to dangerous levels. The cold bit through him, making him ache, but he couldn’t conjure a fire, much less a portal to warmer climes.

Tony came to a barely controlled running stop just feet from the sorcerer. The Iron man suit was emitting sparks from several places. “Stephen, are you alright?”

“Just tired. And c-cold.” Stephen wrapped his arms around himself in an effort to keep warm. At the same time, the Cloak of Levitation curled around him.

The sparks turned into smoke and Tony was forced to evacuate the suit. He stepped into the snow and shivered. “I saw an overhang that way. It would at least keep the wind off of us.”

The sorcerer shook his head. “Can’t stand.” The Cloak lifted Stephen up out of the snow.

“Thanks, Red.” The genius took Stephen's arm and guided him to the overhang. It was large enough that no snow fell beneath it and it blocked the wind nicely.

Tony sat and the Cloak deposited Stephen beside him, then it expanded in size and wrapped itself around them both. Next, the Cloak started generating heat.

The sorcerer looked surprised. “Did I know you could do that?” he asked the Cloak. In response, the Cloak shook as though it were laughing.

“Handy, that. Thanks again, Red.” The genius took Stephen's hands in his own. They were cold and shaking from pain. “Fuck. I’m so sorry, Steph. Let me warm them.”

“It's f-fine.” Stephen was used to them aching, but this was on a whole different level of pain. He didn’t want Tony to know how badly they hurt.

“No it's not. I know how much cold affects them.” The genius brought each of Stephen's hand up to his lips and kissed them, then he tucked them against himself carefully. “Don’t worry. JARVIS knows our last location. He’ll send help soon enough.”

“I wasn't w-worried,” the sorcerer replied.

Stephen's shaking was getting worse despite the warmth the Cloak was providing. Maybe he wasn't worried, but Tony was. He let go of the sorcerer's hands and pulled him into his lap, wrapping his arms around him, trying to keep him warm.

“After we get home, we’re taking a vacation to Hawaii. We'll enjoy the temperate climate and recuperate,” the genius promised. “I’ll take you to a real luau — not one of the touristy ones. That’ll be an eye-opener. And there’s a lovely private beach we can go to. You'll love it. Just the two of us.”

“S-sounds lovely.” Stephen's voice was slurred. The cold on top of his energy depletion was having too great an effect. He was having trouble keeping his eyes open. His lids felt impossibly heavy and kept slipping shut.

“No. No! Stephen, stay with me.” Tony shifted him in his arms and brought their cheeks together. “I really need you to stay awake for me.” He gave the sorcerer a gentle shake. “Come on JARVIS, hurry up.”

“S-sorry. Don’t mean to w-worry you.” The sorcerer snuggled into Tony's grasp, leaning hard against him. A few minutes later, his eyes fell completely shut.

After that, Tony couldn’t wake the sorcerer. Every moment dragged by in slow motion. It was no more than 15 minutes until help arrived, but it seemed like hours.

A Quinjet landed not far away and Black Widow emerged along with Doctor Banner. Tony called out to them and they rushed over to the genius and Stephen.

Upon seeing the unconscious sorcerer, Banner asked, “What happened? You haven’t been out here long enough for him to be suffering from hyperthermia.”

“He depleted himself in battle, used up his reserves. The cold on top of that…” Tony broke off, his voice choking up.

The Cloak picked Stephen up and, without being told to, floated him onto the Quinjet and placed him gently on the floor. The other three chased after them.

Once on board, Natasha lifted off. Tony and Bruce knelt on either side of the sorcerer, Bruce wrapping a heated blanket around him.

The genius watched as Banner took Stephen's vitals. The entire time, Bruce was muttering to himself, “I’m not this kind of doctor.” He sat back on his heels. “I don’t understand it. There's nothing medically wrong with him. He's cold, yes, but not hypothermic.”

Tony cupped the sorcerer's cheek. “It must just be the exhaustion. Nat! How much longer?”

“23 minutes to the compound,” she replied.

Unable to resist, the genius crawled under the heated blanket and lay down beside Stephen. He curled an arm around him and placed his head on the sorcerer's shoulder. “I really wish you'd wake up, babe. I don’t fucking like this. Not at all.”

Bruce went to sit by Natasha to give the two men some privacy. He shared a glance with her, one full of emotion and unspoken words.

Once back at the compound, they moved Stephen to one of the spare rooms. The med unit wasn’t required since all he needed was rest. Again, Tony lay down beside him and held him, eventually falling asleep.

When the genius awoke, it was to Stephen's shaky fingers carding through his hair. “Hello, sleepy,” the sorcerer said with a tired smile.

“I think that’s my line, Merlin.” Tony brushed their lips together. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

Stephen kissed Tony back. “I can’t promise that.”

The genius sighed. “I know. I just love you so much.”

“I know,” Stephen said. “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I read and treasure every single comment I receive, but I'm totally crap at responding to them. Please know that they fuel me. Thank you in advance.
> 
> If you want to podfic or translate this or create a drawing based on it, go for it. Just please let me know and link back to my fic.
> 
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> 
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